NOAA in Your State - Montana

NOAA In Your State

Montana

NOAA is an agency that enriches life through science. Our reach goes from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean floor as we work to keep citizens informed of the changing environment around them. From daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings, and climate monitoring to fisheries management, coastal restoration and supporting marine commerce, NOAA’s products and services support economic vitality and affect more than one-third of America’s gross domestic product. NOAA’s dedicated scientists use cutting-edge research and high-tech instrumentation to provide citizens, planners, emergency managers and other decision makers with reliable information they need when they need it. The following is a summary of NOAA facilities, staff, programs, or activities based in, or focused on, your state or territory. The entries are listed by statewide, region, and then by congressional districts and cities or towns.

MT

Statewide

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and National Ocean Service (NOS) - Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program

NOAA’s Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program (DARRP) assesses and restores habitat, fisheries, protected species and recreational uses that have been harmed by oil spills, chemical releases, and ship groundings. Working with federal, state, and tribal entities, and responsible parties, we have recovered $10.4 billion for restoration of critical habitats, fisheries, protected species and recreational uses nationwide. These projects promote recovery of the ecosystem and provide economic benefits from tourism, recreation, green jobs, coastal resiliency, property values and quality of life.

National Ocean Service (NOS) – Regional Geodetic Advisor

The Regional Geodetic Advisor is a National Ocean Service (NOS) employee that resides in a region and serves as a liaison between the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) and its public, academic and private sector constituents within their assigned region. NGS has a Regional Geodetic Advisor stationed in Denver, Colorado serving the Rocky Mountain region – Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. The Geodetic Advisor provides training, guidance and assistance to constituents managing geospatial activities that are tied to the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS), the framework and coordinate system for all positioning activities in the Nation. The Geodetic Advisor serves as a subject matter expert in geodesy and regional geodetic issues, collaborating internally across NOS and NOAA to ensure that all regional geospatial activities are properly referenced to the NSRS.

National Weather Service (NWS) - Automated Surface Observing Systems Stations

The Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) program is a joint effort of the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense (DOD). ASOS serves as the Nation's primary surface weather observing network. ASOS is designed to support weather forecast activities and aviation operations and, at the same time, support the needs of the meteorological, hydrological, and climatological research communities. ASOS works non-stop, updating observations every minute, 24 hours a day, every day of the year observing basic weather elements, such as cloud cover, precipitation, wind, sea level pressure, and conditions, such as rain, snow, freezing rain, thunderstorms, and fog. There are 18 ASOS stations in Montana.

National Weather Service (NWS) - Cooperative Observer Program Sites

The National Weather Service (NWS) Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) is truly the Nation's weather and climate observing network of, by and for the people. More than 10,000 volunteers take observations on farms, in urban and suburban areas, National Parks, seashores, and mountaintops. The data are representative of where people live, work and play. The COOP was formally created in 1890 under the NWS Organic Act to provide observational meteorological data, usually consisting of daily maximum and minimum temperatures, snowfall, and 24-hour precipitation totals, required to define the climate of the United States and to help measure long-term climate changes, and to provide observational meteorological data in near real-time to support forecast, warning and other public service programs of the NWS. In some cases, the data are used to make billions of dollars’ worth of decisions. For example, the energy sector uses COOP data to calculate the Heating and Cooling Degree Days which are used to determine individuals’ energy bills monthly. There are 345 COOP sites in Montana.

National Weather Service (NWS) - NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards Transmitters

NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service (NWS) forecast office. NWR broadcasts official NWS warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Working with the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) Emergency Alert System, NWR is an "All Hazards" radio network, making it the single source for comprehensive weather and emergency information. In conjunction with federal, state, and local emergency managers and other public officials, NWR also broadcasts warning and post-event information for all types of hazards – including natural (such as earthquakes or avalanches), environmental (such as chemical releases or oil spills), and public safety (such as AMBER alerts or 911 Telephone outages). Known as the "Voice of NOAA's National Weather Service," NWR is provided as a public service by the NWS. NWR includes 1,100 transmitters covering all 50 states, adjacent coastal waters, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Pacific Territories. There are 30 NWR transmitters in Montana.

National Weather Service (NWS) - Incident Meteorologists

The NWS, as mandated by Congress, provides fire weather forecast products and services to the fire and land management community for the protection of life and property, promotion of firefighter safety, and stewardship of America’s public wildlands. Since 1927, this effort has included providing critical on-scene support to wildfire managers via specially-trained NWS forecasters called Incident Meteorologists (IMETs). When a fire reaches a large enough size, IMETs are rapidly deployed to the incident and set-up a mobile weather center to provide constant weather updates and forecast briefings to the fire incident commanders. IMETs are very important members of the firefighting team, as changes in the fires are largely due to changes in the weather.

MT-At Large

Billings

National Weather Service (NWS) - Weather Forecast Office

Located in Billings, this NWS Weather Forecast Office (WFO) is staffed around-the-clock every day, and provides the best possible weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings to residents of south central and southeastern Montana. Highly trained forecasters issue warnings and forecasts for events, including severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, winter storms, floods, and heat waves. This essential information is provided to the general public, media, emergency management and law enforcement officials, the aviation and marine communities, agricultural interests, businesses, and others. Information is disseminated in many ways, including through dedicated government channels, satellite, the Internet, and NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards.

Forecasters provide on-site, detailed weather support during critical emergencies, such as wildfires, floods, chemical spills, and for major recovery efforts such as those following the Greensboro, Kansas, tornado; Hurricane Katrina; and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack in New York City. The WFO collects and disseminates precipitation, river, and rainfall data, and prepares local climatological data. Each WFO has a Warning Coordination Meteorologist who actively conducts outreach and educational programs, which helps build strong working relationships with local partners in emergency management, government, the media and academic communities. The WFO operates Automated Surface Observing Stations (ASOS), as well as the local Doppler Weather Radar, which provides critical information about current weather conditions. The radar data enables forecasters to issue warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods.

Dillon

National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS and Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) - U.S. Climate Reference Network

The U.S. Climate Reference Network (USCRN) is an operationally viable research network of 135 climate stations that are deployed nationwide. Data from the USCRN are used in various climate monitoring activities and for placing current climate anomalies into an historical perspective. The USCRN provides the United States with a reference network that contributes to an International network under the auspices of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS).

Ft. Peck

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) - Surface Radiation Measurement Network

The Earth System Research Laboratory Global Monitoring Division (ESRL/GMD) operates seven stations as part of its surface radiation measurement network (SURFRAD). The station measurements support regional and global weather and climate research with accurate, continuous, long-term measurements of the surface radiation budget over the United States. Solar radiation is the driving energy for geophysical and biological processes that control weather and affect planetary life; understanding the global surface energy budget is therefore key to understanding climate and the environmental consequences to agriculture and other statewide concerns. Because it is impractical to cover the whole earth with monitoring stations, the answer to global coverage lies in reliable satellite-based observations. Accurate and precise ground-based measurements across a range of climate regions are essential to refine and verify the satellite observations. One of these stations is located near Fort Peck. These ground-based measurements also support special research projects on radiation and climate processes in the Montana region and serve as important verification for weather forecasts.

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) - Total Column Ozone Measurements

NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory Global Monitoring Division (ESRL/GMD) makes measurements of the column amounts of ozone between the earth's surface and the top of the atmosphere at a number of locations around the United States, including Ft. Peck, MT. The observations are obtained with ground-based spectrometers that measure the attenuation by ozone of ultraviolet light. This integrated ozone amount is critical in determining the amount of ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth's surface. Excess ultraviolet radiation is responsible for human skin cancer and is also harmful to other biogenic organisms. Column ozone measurements monitor changes in the stratospheric ozone layer resulting from human-produced chlorine and bromine compounds that destroy ozone. With controls now in place on the manufacture and use of these ozone-destroying compounds, it will be important to monitor the ozone layer for the expected recovery and determine whether other factors such as long-term climate change are influencing this recovery.

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) - Ultraviolet Radiation Monitoring Network

The Earth System Research Laboratory Global Monitoring Division (ESRL/GMD) operates an ultraviolet radiation (UV) monitoring network site in Ft. Peck. These measurements are done as part of ESRL’s research on the Earth's surface radiation budget. Research efforts are devoted to the extent and cause of observed variations in long-term radiation and meteorological measurements, using satellite observations and climate model calculations. In addition, observations of spectral solar radiation are made for the purpose of remote sensing of certain atmospheric constituents and spectral solar UV is measured for the investigation of the interaction of ozone and solar radiation. ESRL/GMD also provides essential instrument calibration services for national and worldwide partner UV monitoring networks.

Glasgow

National Weather Service (NWS) - Weather Forecast Office

Located in Glasgow, this NWS Weather Forecast Office (WFO) is staffed around-the-clock every day, and provides the best possible weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings to residents of northeastern Montana. Highly trained forecasters issue warnings and forecasts for events, including severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, winter storms, floods, and heat waves. This essential information is provided to the general public, media, emergency management and law enforcement officials, the aviation and marine communities, agricultural interests, businesses, and others. Information is disseminated in many ways, including through dedicated government channels, satellite, the Internet, and NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards.

Great Falls

National Weather Service (NWS) - Weather Forecast Office

Located in Great Falls, this NWS Weather Forecast Office (WFO) provides is staffed around-the-clock every day, and provides the best possible weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings to residents of north-central and southwestern Montana. Highly trained forecasters issue warnings and forecasts for events, including severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, winter storms, floods, and heat waves. This essential information is provided to the general public, media, emergency management and law enforcement officials, the aviation and marine communities, agricultural interests, businesses, and others. Information is disseminated in many ways, including through dedicated government channels, satellite, the Internet, and NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards.

Forecasters also provide Impact-based Decision-Support Services (IDSS), both remotely and on-site, during critical emergencies, such as wildfires, floods, chemical spills, and for major recovery efforts. The WFO collects and disseminates precipitation, river, and rainfall data, and prepares local climatological data. Each WFO has a Warning Coordination Meteorologist who actively conducts outreach and educational programs, which helps build strong working relationships with local partners in emergency management, government, the media and academic communities. The WFO operates Automated Surface Observing Stations (ASOS), as well as the local Doppler Weather Radar, which provides critical information about current weather conditions. The radar data enables forecasters to issue warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods.

Lewistown

National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS and Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) - U.S. Climate Reference Network